The Use Of Minxi Hakka Elements In Landscape Design

Located in the west of Fujian province known as Minxi, the Longyan City is one of the gregarious places for the Hakka people. From the last years of Western Jin Dynasty(265-316) to the last years of Southern Song Dynasty(1127-1279), regime changes took place in Central China drawing the ordinary people of Han ethnicity to southern areas for refuge. Among these migrants, some found their way into the western part of Fujian(Min-xi) and, after integration with aboriginal settlers there, formed a new Han family called the Hakkas. As one of the core origins of the Hakkas, Min-xi was playing a significant role in the development of Hakka community and culture, the prosperity of Hakka areas and the distribution of Hakka sons and daughters around the world. Since the Hakka people in Min-xi has the spirit of self-improvement, patriotism, pioneering innovation, love of culture and education, and thrift and industriousness, the natural and cultural landscapes around their settlement are characteristic of a simple and plain style that indicate their gregarious living and their respect for nature. Over recent years, however, the development of Hakka villages in Min-xi has encountered a number of problems and challenges, for example, some ancient residential houses and buildings are managed without careful plan, environmental problems remain serious as before, and development plans lack local color. This paper will mainly investigate what ar e the Min-xi Hakka elements and how to incorporate them in landscape design for rural areas.